The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
The weight of the head hanging forward and sideward, and slouching shoulders, while sleeping in a safety seat, may bend the spine or cause undesirable posture. These undesirable movements can occur while the child is sleeping in a safety seat.
Often, car safety seats do not provide much, if any, support for the child's head or neck. It is mainly used as a safety restraint system. It is also well known that children tend to fall asleep in car seats when the vehicle is moving. When this happens, the child's head typically sag, droop or otherwise hang forward or lay to the side. Prolonged hanging of the head is known to be relatively uncomfortable and can result in a sore neck, pulled muscle, or bad posture. It can also cause a decreased oxygen supply due to the position of the neck.
In many instances, the same problem of slouching and a lack of head and neck support occur in other types of seats configured for children. For example, most strollers and high chairs generally are not configured, and do not have sufficient support to avoid injury or soreness to the child's neck due to slouching.
In many instances, vehicle safety seats perform well with regard to restraining a child in a moving vehicle. The typical safety seat includes a body portion that is secured to a seat in the vehicle and a harness system that secures the child to the safety seat. The body portion has back, bottom and side walls that are dimensioned to receive the child in an upright, outwardly facing position. Harness systems typically comprise a plurality of straps that define a shoulder portion which is placed over the child's shoulders and secured together near the chest and a waist or lower body portion that engages the pelvis area, often between the legs. The straps are joined to the shoulder portion. However, the upper head and neck are often left unrestrained.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are great for restraint, but leave room for more optimal approaches for supporting the head. Once asleep, the body slouches, creating a problem.